Title:

Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GIC): Manitoba Hydro’s Past and Present Activities

Date:

Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 12:00 noon.

Location:

Holiday Inn South, 1330 Pembina Highway, Winnipeg

Speaker:

Steve Shelemy, P.Eng

Abstract:

With the next solar cycle (sun spot) activity expected to peak sometime in 2012 to 2014, there has been a flurry of industry activity to assess and develop NERC Standards to harden the transmission system against the impacts of geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) resulting from such a solar storm. This presentation will provide an introduction to the phenomena of GIC and discuss past and present activities within Manitoba Hydro related to our response for the upcoming solar cycle. Study Results from a recent high level assessment of the impact GIC has on Manitoba Hydro Transmission System will also be presented.

Speaker Bio:

Steve Shelemy, B.Sc., M.Sc., holds BSc. degrees in Physics (1993) and Electrical Engineering (1999) from the University of Manitoba. In 2006 he completed his MSc in electrical engineering. He has been employed at Manitoba Hydro since 1999 when he entered the EIT program. While at Manitoba Hydro Steve has been worked in System Performance where he helped develop 2002-2003 seasonal Operating Guides and performed system studies to develop new Operating Guides related to the Harvey-Balta-Rugby-Glenboro 230 kV line, Ponton SVC, and St. Leon wind facility additions. Since 2006 Steve has been working in the System Planning Department responsible for generator interconnection studies and maintaining the Manitoba Hydro’s Transmission System Interconnection Requirements (TSIR) document. At System Planning he has been involved in Wuskwatim and St. Joseph interconnection studies, commissioning of the St. Joseph Wind plant and development of functional specifications for the Northern AC Cross-tripping scheme after the addition of Wuskwatim facilities. In 2007/8 he acted as the Manitoba Hydro sponsor for a R&D project with the Finish Meteorological Institute to assess the geomagnetic activity levels, related geoelectric fields and related GIC levels in Manitoba. Presently Steve is acting as the Manitoba Hydro sponsor for a R&D project with Natural Resources Canada to develop a Real Time GIC simulator for the Manitoba Hydro System. He is currently part of the NERC GMD Task Force and involved in assessing the impact GIC may have on the Manitoba Hydro System.

Cost and Registration:

  • Cash bar available at Noon.
  • Lunch served at 12:15 PM.
  • Meeting concluded at 1:30 PM.
  • Cost of the meal (payable at the door).

Early Registration (On or before March 23, 2012)

  • IEEE Members – $15.00
  • Non-Members – $19.00

Late Registration (After March 23, 2012)

  • IEEE Members – $17.00
  • Non-Members – $21.00

The IEEE PES Winnipeg Chapter must guarantee a minimum attendance to the hotel, so please take a moment to register early by RSVP to Jieping Shao by Friday Noon, February 24, 2012, in one of the following ways:

Documents: